Morning Reading List: Game 6

(John McDonnell -- The Washington Post)

The Capitals' backs are against the wall, but that's not anything really new for this team either. Washington has faced six elimination games in its past two post seasons -- three against Philadelphia, three against New York -- it's just a matter of channeling the desperation and urgency again.

Donald Brashear is eligible to return to the ice after his six-game suspension, but it's hard to tell if he will return to the lineup.

Dan Steinberg believes that Caps fans showed exactly how not to behave after a loss. Owner Ted Leonsis agreed, saying he was "very disappointed" in those who threw things on the ice.

The View from Pittsburgh
All the other subplots aside, this is a game of the Penguins' killer instinct against the Capitals' resiliency.

Heading into Game 6, Pittsburgh's 161 blocked shots are the most of any team in the playoffs.

Wasn't this the Pittsburgh team that was supposedly crippled by the departure of several players after last year's Stanley Cup final run? But it looks like now General Manager Ray Shero's strategy has paid off.

Several of the Penguins' secondary scorers propelled them to a Game 5 victory and The Hockey News' Ken Campbell believes their ability to have four lines contributing is a significant difference maker in the series.

I think they can do it. But if Pens get unlimited PP's,it won't happen. Semin needs to show up. I know Ovie will. And Varly will. If we can keep our guys from scoring for Pittsburgh,we win.
Let's Go Caps.

Dan Rosen said it all in his NHL.com piece cited in the reading list. The lack of defense, mostly attributable to Mike Greene, IS due to the coach and his old school philosophy of DEFENSE WINS CUPS. BB is quoted as saying:"When you're ahead a goal or tied you're not going to play as footloose. If I say, 'Mike, you just rush the puck every chance you get,' they're going to get odd-man breaks and it might be when it's 0-0 in the middle of the second period." That is just wrong.A goal against hurts no matter when, but you have a better chance of them not getting one if you score one yourself. You do what got you there and that is to let Greene attack and expect the other D-man to cover, as well as another forward. That is what made Greene so potent a threat and took the pressure off Ovie, it also opens the game which is what we need to do since our D isn't the greatest. Instead coaching changes it all and we have a team that isn't "playing our game", they are playing some body else's game and that somebody else isn't this Caps team.

Like Rosen said in his article, our third line hasn't scored since Stecks in Game 2.
Tarik, can you please ask Bruce why he took Brooksy off the third line? Maybe he did it to add grit to the second line, but the Brooks-Stecks-Brads was our most consistent, and I think they gave our team a boost when we needed it.

There is something in the air this morning. It smells like........VICTORY! The in between game talking is done. It's time to strap them on and take one on the road. Green cashed in on a much much better goaltender in Game 6 of the Rangers series, time for a goal from Greener. The other Alex needs to give 'em hand too.

With what this team went through last year and now what they have been through this year I still really dont feel as if they have learned how to play a full 60 mins of hockey. You've got to be able to play consistently the full game and not just in spirts in the playoffs. Sat was the best game for them so far but I dont know what the deal is

@Caps16Fan: Take that "lucky" Caps gear out of the bag and wear it while you watch the game tonight. Whatta ya doin'?

@Caps73: Without a doubt. There is no way anyone leaving Verizon was more disappointed than me Saturday night but I would NEVER throw anything on the ice. It is embarrasing and just gives out-of-towners fuel when they bad mouth the Caps and DC.

@uncatim: Nice, way to lighten things up.

By the way, speaking of throwing stuff, did anyone see the Carolina players getting Bruins towels thrown on them as they filled the box? I dislike Carolina, but no players, no matter how mad fans get, deserve to have anything thrown at them. These guys are aggressive athletes that when taken away from the rink are no different than you or me. Remember that if you have the urge to throw something. After the game, win or lose, they are probably on the horn with their Father, Mother, Wife, Brother, Sister, Grandmother, etc, talking about the game. Enjoy hockey without ruining it.

The Caps were very fortunate to win the last three and escape from the first round, then also win the first two vs the Pens (remember before that how Caps fell behind 3-1 vs NY while hitting posts, etc?). Anyway, if the Caps play just like in Game 5, we can hope the luck turns back around. Pens have come back by being opportunistic. Caps are 5-1 under BB in (self) elimination games!

IF the Caps can play like Boston did last night, control and dominate the game, yes there is still hope. However if it's one of those... we score, you score, 1 goal apart games, I think it's over.

They say in the spring a young mans heart turns to love. Mine always turns blue from being kicked during Caps playoff runs year after year after year after year... Please Caps show my heart some mercy! Play like you're capable of playing!

BB needs to go back to the line combos from games 1 & 2. Laich has to be on the 3rd line if that line is to have any chance of generating offense. Semin needs Backstrom. Ovie makes Fedorov better. I just wish Fehr could play. The 4th line has been AWOL without him.

The fourth line has been grinding fine without Fehr. Heck, they've probably been grinding well because Fehr isn't playing. He added nothing to the team in the Rangers series. He's a big dude, yet he plays small and soft. He's too easy to bang off the puck, and that ruins a grinding line's ability to maintain pressure.

I don't think that there has been a coaching philosophy change regarding Mike Green but a change in the health of Mike Green. He looks like he can't carry a puck with speed or shoot with force. He had one shot in the game Sat that looked like it had power but who knows what that shot cost him. The reason we are losing this series is the lack of production from Semin and Green. I don't think you have to be an analyst to see that this is what is different than the regular season and I don't buy that they are folding under the pressure or don't care. Before there is any further criticism, why don't we wait and see what is wrong with them. Staying healthy is one of the keys to winning in the playoffs and I do not think the Caps are healthy enough to be at full force. Then again maybe I am totally misjudging the situation.

Glad to hear from others disgusted by the jerks who throw junk on the ice. We're better than that.

So great to see a team effort Saturday night. Tonight let's just see the same and then do better yet.

The trolls come out here when they're ahead, so expect to see them today. Kindly ignore them. I hate to see the threads devolve into lunacy just because Caps fans take the bait. Remember, there's no tug of war if you don't pick up the rope. Ignore....

Folks.....the forth line has hardly played the 2 games. 3-5 minutes each. In games on back to back nights, that is a very bad thing. Somehow or some way they need to help out if the Caps are going to go anywhere. Laich has been quiet. Maybe having him back to the third line with Stecks and Brads may be a good thing, but then who plays with Backs and Semin? Or move Semin over to the left and try Clark on the right. I really dont know how to solve that one, but they do need a productive 4th line.

@CDon The fourth line has been grinding fine without Fehr. Heck, they've probably been grinding well because Fehr isn't playing. He added nothing to the team in the Rangers series. He's a big dude, yet he plays small and soft. He's too easy to bang off the puck, and that ruins a grinding line's ability to maintain pressure.

Perhaps you are not aware of the Caps Win/Loss percentage when Fehr is and is not in the line-up. I don't have ready access to the precise stats at the moment; however through April, the Caps were something like 39-11 in Wins WITH Fehr in the line up and 18-6 in Losses WITHOUT Fehr in the line up.

@CAPS73: Penguin fans don't throw anything but hats on the ice, give us some credit.

This is the most exciting series I can remember and whether you want the Caps or Pens, this is what Hockey should be. And, this should be good for years to come with all the good young players on both sides and in the minors.

A question: Why is Semin questioning "special" players when he disappears when it means the most?

Ovechkin his usual greatness, Varlamov is outstanding, Backstrom could really hurt us, where is Semin?

By the way, The Penguins have their rival (Flyers), this is not a rivalry to us. You guys need to start one with Carolina or someone else in your division.

I don't think that there has been a coaching philosophy change regarding Mike Green but a change in the health of Mike Green. He looks like he can't carry a puck with speed or shoot with force. He had one shot in the game Sat that looked like it had power but who knows what that shot cost him. The reason we are losing this series is the lack of production from Semin and Green. I don't think you have to be an analyst to see that this is what is different than the regular season and I don't buy that they are folding under the pressure or don't care. Before there is any further criticism, why don't we wait and see what is wrong with them. Staying healthy is one of the keys to winning in the playoffs and I do not think the Caps are healthy enough to be at full force. Then again maybe I am totally misjudging the situation.

No, I think you're spot on. We were discussing it last night in the previous thread, Semin in particular. I'm quite curious as to what is wrong with Green, but that's onyl because its not nearly as obvious as Semin's major wrist injury due entirely to a Oprik slash (that, surprise surprise, wasn't called.)

@CAPS73: Penguin fans don't throw anything but hats on the ice, give us some credit.

A question: Why is Semin questioning "special" players when he disappears when it means the most? Ovechkin his usual greatness, Varlamov is outstanding, Backstrom could really hurt us, where is Semin?

By the way, The Penguins have their rival (Flyers), this is not a rivalry to us. You guys need to start one with Carolina or someone else in your division.

Posted by: penscapsNOTarivalry | May 11, 2009 9:43 AM | Report abuse

one by one....

Penguins fans only throw hats on the ice, but god forbid if the Caps do it, too. I mean, that is what Sid was trying to say, right? How dare those big mean Capitals fans celebrate a hat trick!

I dunno, maybe you should ask Orpik why he broke Semin's wrist on a dirty play. And just to make things interesting, I'd be curious to know how Sid plays with a broken wrist. "Not well" would be my guess. No one plays well with a broken wrist.

For a fanbase that routinely cries "You're not our rivals!" you guys sure act like it. All the whining, all the throwing out stats from 20 years ago as if it somehow means something, all the coming on Caps blogs and message boards to trash the Caps. Caps fans don't want Carolina, they want to be back in the Patrick Division, which is where they belong. A division they would have won this year, just so you know.

penscapsNOTarivalry: Players make teams a rivalry, not the cities. With division matchups down to 6 a season and 4 against conference a rivalry can be built. There are players on each of these team that have a true hatred towards each other. This is a rivalry, and always will be as long as Ovi is a Cap and Crosby is a Penguin.

There has also been much made of Malkin and Crosby not being hot at the same time. Pens fans may not see it but it looks like Malkin doesn't care much for considering the 2nd guy on the team, and he shouldn't settle for that. He was the league's leading scorer this season and held your team together last season when Crosby was out. It was very obvious that Malkin and Crosby aren't the best of buds on that winning goal. Not sure if anyone else noticed but when Malkin's pass ended up in the back of the net, Crosby turned to celebrate with Malkin as he circled the net, Malkin clearly avoid him and went to Kunitz. If that was Ovi scoring or Backs scoring it wouldn't have mattered, those two would have met behind the net.

This might be premature but I tend to think that Malkin will be looking for a team that he can call his own within the next couple of years. For both the Caps and the Pens, hopefully that will be in the West so we only have to deal with that beast a couple of times during the year at best, and for the Stanley Cup. At that time your Pens will be hurting.

The crap on ice happened last year after Game 7. If that was the last time we saw the Caps this season, that's a brilliant way to send them off after a great season. You know what? Let the Pens celebrate and then take a few minutes to give our guys some props. Instead, we get that behavior that looks like a bunch of seven-year olds pitching a fit in the middle of the mall. If there's a Game 7, try to remember that win or lose you don't need to make the rest of us look stupid. If you can't resist the idea of throwing something on the ice, put your hands in your pockets. Or better yet, punch yourself repeatedly in the face. It'd make me feel better.

I'm a huge Caps fan an very disappointed that we didn't come through in Game 5, but you can't blame the refs. It was the best officiated game of the series and Steckel should have ended things early in the OT. The penalty on Jurcina should have been against Federov, but it was an obvious trip on a play that was a potential scoring opportunity....no ref will let that go even in OT.

As for the Caps, Green has been AWFUL in both ends. His countless TO's in his own end consistently have given the Pens too many chances. On the power play, he's been hesitant to take a shot and is very tentative. Semin has been completely silent the whole series. Time for both Semin and Green to step up like the Pens stars. If Green continues with TO's, give more time to Pothier and Poti who can handle the puck and aren't sloppy.

If the Caps lose, no excuses or blaming the refs. We have had our chances to put the Pens away in Game 4 and 5, but didn't do it. Let's go Caps in Game 6!!!

Thanks saintex. specially the part about the idiots punching themselves in the face.

Last year, game 7, aside from wanting to crawl out of the depressed state I was in, all I wanted to do was to cheer my team for an incredible run to the playoffs and to game 7 OT. Unfortunately, a host of idiots were tossing junk on the ice. Thankfully, Ovi came out and gave us a bit of a hand clap, but we did not give our team the recognition they deserved.

Whatever happens, we have one heck of a future with this team. Hopefully this season it will keep going tonight and wednesday night and beyond, but if not, the kids ought to keep their hands in their pockets (or in contact with their faces).

This might be premature but I tend to think that Malkin will be looking for a team that he can call his own within the next couple of years. For both the Caps and the Pens, hopefully that will be in the West so we only have to deal with that beast a couple of times during the year at best, and for the Stanley Cup. At that time your Pens will be hurting.

Posted by: fanohock1 | May 11, 2009 10:00 AM | Report abuse

see, that would be my thoguht, too, except a couple nights ago I had this supremely strange dream. Crosby gets traded from Pittsburgh because his production plummets and no one cares for his diva-tude. He spends the rest of his career bouncing from place to place and the whole hcokey world saying "He could have been great, but he couldn't handle not being the best and that created problems every where he went."

Anyone who claims no rivalry between the Caps and Pittsburgh is a bandwagon fan. The old Patrick Division mean anything?

No, of course not, you think the Caps are a southern team who belong in the forced Southeastern Division. Expansion to places that have not been the success Bettman so desired have forced the Caps away from our traditional rivals. I remember 95. I remember 96, 00, and 01. But do you?

Please, don't try and pretend something isn't there. Read your players words - they know a rivalry exists. Why can't you admit it? Because you only began supporting the team once the got Crosby? Because you don't know your teams history? Because the NHL is structured the same today as it always has been? Why, bandwagon Pittsburgh fans, why?

Caps Nation, the Caps need us! They must rally in Pittsburgh and win tonight for us to have a chance to rock the red again on Wednesday.

This team has given us too many thrills over the last year and a half to give up on them. They have been counted out before and they have come back. They may be down, but they need our support now more than ever.

Send a positive e-mail to the team to washingtoncaps@aol.com. Pass it on to all your Caps friends to do the same. If they receive a lot of e-mails they may share them with the team.

@Josh8, now why are you ahvign to go confuse the bandwagon Pitt fans like that. You just know they're all strating at their computer screens, scratching their heads and wondering if they should go find their moms and ask "What's a Patrick Division?"

I often wonder what good it does to complain about the trash throwing after the last game. Did anyone who sat next to people throwing the trash onto the ice say anything? I'm on the West Coast and yeah, it disheartens me when I read the articles on it and then read the comments of posters here directly addressing....possible trash throwers who may feel repentent after reading the comments? I doubt any of them are on here. Let's try this - if and when we see anyone wanting to throw something on the ice today or in Game 7, how 'bout we actually say something to them then? All the ranting about it here makes me ill because it's more about a person looking down their nose at another Capitals fan like one is better than the other. We're all liable for another Capitals fans' actions, if we sit right next to them and then go, "Ooo, I'm so mad," and not do anything until you get back home, stew in it for a little bit, and then proceed to post on the message boards like THAT was going to prevent more trash from being thrown. You shoulda' said something righ then and there, folks. Not on the message boards after the damage has been done.

saintex: Great post. My sons and I will probably head to Kettler to welcome them back and thank them if the Caps will let us if they cannot pull it out tonight. I love this group of kids and want to show my appreciation for their effort this year. Still have a gut feeling we are going to be at Verizon on Wednesday though.

Caps are 6-6 in the NHL playoffs. No easy games. No easy teams. The Pens have scored two more goals in this series than the Caps. Let's call those that two OT deflections. I don't know how anyone can say this team doesn't have what it takes, or isn't playing hard, in the playoffs.

because the Caps aren't playing hard. They play 30 or 40 minutes a night and still almost win games. Heck, they play 30 minutes and win games outright. I just can't figure out why they can't play 60 minutes. If they played 60 minutes every night, they'd be unstoppable. Saturday was their best game, and they played about 45 minutes, prior to OT.

If the Caps lose (and dear god, I hope they don't) and if it means the Pens match up against the Red Wings again ina few weeks, I will laugh, and delight in watching the Wings once again dismantle the Pens.

People threw trash on the ice - big deal. Isnt there anything else we can talk about on here - like the no call on Semin right before they call the trip on the wrong player after Malkin goes down. I agree with the call - even though they called it on the wrong guy, but why no call for the Semin trip?

oh, no, I've got a whole list of refs who hate the caps. Koharski has retired, of course, so that eliminates one of them, but Devorski is still around, and McCreary's hate of Russians is well known. There are others, but those three absolutely topped the "Enemies of Caps Hockey" list these past few years.

@Josh8: I remember well! Especially all the thumping in the playoffs! I am simply stating THE Penguins rivalry is the Flyers, HANDS DOWN! The Capitals will never replace that no matter how hard everyone tries. There is hatred between these two clubs. The Caps/Pens is exciting, but how many fights have broken out? Exactly. A rivalry needs hatred and this series doesn't have any.

@fanohock1: Crosby is going nowhere, if anyone it will be Malkin. But can you guys quit being girls and trying to analyze every situation. Malkin scored and just continued around the goal. Just because he didn't stop on a dime to hug Crosby means nothing. Maybe who Ovechkin hugs is news in Washington, not in Pittsburgh.

@capsfansince74, because for reasons I cannot explain,a nd no one else can either,t he refs deliberately are looking the other way whenever someone commits a penalty against Semin. Its so glaring obvious, you can see it from space.

And then there was the interference on Gordon that led to the game winning "goal." WHy not call that as well.

The fact that the refs can't even call the penalty on the right player shoudl tell you soemthing about the level of competence of NHL on-ice officials.

.A goal against hurts no matter when, but you have a better chance of them not getting one if you score one yourself. You do what got you there and that is to let Greene attack and expect the other D-man to cover, as well as another forward. That is what made Greene so potent a threat and took the pressure off Ovie, it also opens the game which is what we need to do since our D isn't the greatest. Instead coaching changes it all and we have a team that isn't "playing our game", they are playing some body else's game and that somebody else isn't this Caps team.

I agree & have beat this drum against some of the Green haterz here: puck possession & ultimately leading to our goal scoring is the name of the game.

If Green is not playing well, it may be strategy that is contributing as much to his negative plays.

You bet your hat Henrik will be in goal for Sweden in 2010 Olympics. That's because Hiller will be busy playing for his country, which is Switzerland, not Sweden!

Americans and geography... I can maybe understand confusing Slovakia and Slovenia, but confusing Sweden and Switzerland or Australia and Austria (which happens all the time too)? Please. Do they teach even basic geography here at all?

---

RUSSIA ARE WOLRD CHAMPS, AGAIN! And with a roster mostly made up of KHL players. More proof that the KHL is not exactly a beer league, which is what many ignorant North American fans who have never seen 5 minutes of a KHL game seem to think.

Crosby is going nowhere, if anyone it will be Malkin. But can you guys quit being girls and trying to analyze every situation. Malkin scored and just continued around the goal. Just because he didn't stop on a dime to hug Crosby means nothing. Maybe who Ovechkin hugs is news in Washington, not in Pittsburgh.

Posted by: penscapsNOTarivalry | May 11, 2009 10:59 AM | Report abuse

Analytical skills are prized in the DC area. I can see, however, that by lashing out and degrading any attempt at intelligent analysis, that Pittsburgh remains a haven for the intellectually challenged and anti-intellectualism.

And apparently reading comprehension skills are a challenge, too, as I was the one, not Fanhock, who posted about Crosby leaving Pittsburgh. Fanhock's post clearly discusses the possibility of Malkin leaving Pittsburgh so he doesn't have to play in the shadow of an inferior player. It was my post that discussed the strange dream I had about crosby being alocker room cancer and getting run out of city after city.

Where is the intelligent analysis? Is it just complaing about the refs? That's all that comes out of DC. Well that and crime and corruption. Want to talk about cesspools, we could go all day. Pittsburgh consistently ranks as one of the safest cities to live in.
And why are you dreaming about Crosby?

And as for bandwagon fans, we don't have to limit who buys tickets to our arena. I guess you just need more fans, bandwagon or not, huh?
Posted by: penscapsNOTarivalry | May 11, 2009 11:02 AM

Geebus - not this again. For the LAST TIME, Sucksburgh is devoid of ANY cultural diversity beyond sports & drunkeness. Therefore, if there is a beer, you alcoholics slobs would make an excuse to travel & cheer your team on no matter the distance.

So, while DC has never been a rabid multisport town beyond the Redskins, it is a basketball town next & for a Southern city below the Mason Dixon, it sure is successful attracting a loyal hockey following exclusive of alcohol.

So the seat limit rule here for out of towners just:

1) Shows we can do it.
2) We're smarter than you
3) We are DC not Sucksburgh
4) We want class not crass in our stadium.

penscapsNOTarivalry: I said Malkin would leave, I never said Crosby would leave. Why would he leave, he lives rent free at Lemieux house. Someone else commented that they had a dream that Crosby left and fell apart.

penscapsNOTarivalry: Yeah, you guys are great fans. You seat 2000 less at Mellon and I still have a choice of 377 tickets for as little as $140 on ticketexchange right now. That's for an elimination game!

"And as for bandwagon fans, we don't have to limit who buys tickets to our arena. I guess you just need more fans, bandwagon or not, huh?

Posted by: penscapsNOTarivalry"

I'm no professional logician, but this is the most bass ackwards logic you can possibly devise.

If this team had any trouble selling tickets whatsoever, the absolute last thing they would do is limit the people who could buy tickets. Not sure what business world you live in, but it certainly isn't reality.

C'mon now, if you're going to attempt to talk trash, at least bring some real heat.

Sorry Rocc00 your arguement comes up short on a few levels.
1) You can't do it. Pens fans still there.
4) That was real class throwing objects on the ice... typical Filthadelphia if you ask me.
You can have points 2 and 4 we don't care.

Why can't everyone just enjoy the series? It has been exciting and tense for both sides? My initial point is simply this isn't the Pens rival and never will be.

@capsfan74: If I were to start posting Pens/Flyers fights, I'd be here all week, and I am starting to get the DC grime on me already.

Where is the intelligent analysis? Is it just complaing about the refs? That's all that comes out of DC. Well that and crime and corruption. Want to talk about cesspools, we could go all day. Pittsburgh consistently ranks as one of the safest cities to live in.

Posted by: penscapsNOTarivalry | May 11, 2009 11:12 AM | Report abuse

oh, I don't know, maybe the intelligent analysis about why Malkin would consider leaving Pittsbrugh. Or how Pittsburgh has some serious salary cap issues it has to address. Would you like me to continue? And "whining about refs"? Seriously, you're going to toss that out, after the complaining that has come out of the mouths of the Pittsburgh organization? Both sides are complaining, that's what happens in the playoffs.

I love how everyone in the rest of the country rags on DC, like us resident here have any choice in the utterly corrupt elected officals that the rest of the country free elects to send here. Last time I checked, I don't get a single vote in Congress, yet somehow their corruption is all my fault. Yeah, there's some impecable logic!

And "DC is an unsafe city" is old and tired. There certainly are neighborhoods I wouldn't go to, but that's true of any major city. But people don't get randomly shot walking down 7th street, despite what some Pittsburghers want us to believe.

The betting lines in Vegas have the Caps winning, so they will win tonight ensuring a game 7. However, I think the outcome for game 7 has been decided in favor of the Pens so the fix in. The referees will ensure this outcome, via a late pp for the Pens, washing a goal for the Caps or not calling a penalty against the Pens.

Sorry Rocc00 your arguement comes up short on a few levels.
1) You can't do it. Pens fans still there.
4) That was real class throwing objects on the ice... typical Filthadelphia if you ask me.
You can have points 2 and 4 we don't care.
Posted by: penscapsNOTarivalry | May 11, 2009 11:24 AM |

Um if you read some of Ted's blog (which I'm sure you don't) you would know that Pennsyltucky does the same thing to us. Ted stated in his blog (a while ago actually) that the practice (marketing strategy) he did a long time ago to help ensure that Caps fans are in our building vs. Pitt or Philly fans is actually being done in Pitt now. There was a link in his blog and I read it 1st hand so if you're gonna come down on us for something, you should check your own team's practices first. Those that live in glass houses shouldn't cast stones. So since we're such idiots and blah blah blah, I wonder what that makes you and your team?

The betting lines in Vegas have the Caps winning, so they will win tonight ensuring a game 7. However, I think the outcome for game 7 has been decided in favor of the Pens so the fix in. The referees will ensure this outcome, via a late pp for the Pens, washing a goal for the Caps or not calling a penalty against the Pens.

Posted by: Irreverent_inDC | May 11, 2009 11:28 AM | Report abuse

While I have no doubt the refs will attempt to fix the game, per Bettman's orders, giving the Pens a PP is not the way to do it (unless, you know, you allow them to interfere with a player no where near the puck and essentially urn it into a 5-on-3, but I digress). The Pens PP, in the playoffs and all season, is just plain bad. tees no two ways about it, they're terrible on the PP. I'm more inclined to believe it will be a washed-out go ahead goal for the Caps. Or perhaps it will be "Detroit-style" where the goal is clearly scored but the ref claims "intent to whistle" to amke sure things end up with the other team winning.

Penguin fans -- CONGRATULATIONS! You have, officially, ruined this series for the Cap fans. Why do things degenerate anytime you are involved? The all-star game? The Flyers' series? Why is it that every team that plays the Penguins leaves with a horrible taste in their mouths and an extreme hatred of the Penguins and their team? It's not because the Penguins win, it's because of the WAY they win and the way the fans behave. Cap fans and Ranger fans don't hate each other the way Cap fans now hate Pengin fans. Devil fans don't hate Carolina fans the way Flyer fans now hate Penguin fans. Do you see a pattern -- it's not because you win, it's the way your team wins and the way you behave when your team wins. People don't hate Detroit or their fans when Detroit wins; it's because the fans and franchise win with class. That is, clearly, something that has eluded you and the franchise since they tanked the 83-84 season to draft Lemieux.

Penguin fans, just leave, we will never like you, never like the way your team plays, and we will NEVER EVER give your team credit even when it's good. We will act that way simply because we truly, deeply, and passionately HATE you. If we see you in trouble on the side of the road, we will drive on. If we see you drowning, we will move on. There is no brotherhood of hockey fans when it comes to you simply because you only care about the Penguins and winning and have absolutely positively zero interest in the greater good of hockey or the sport of hockey. Now, leave us alone. Your path of destructive behavior has gone through DC.

Cap fans, there was a feeling of excitement and hope around DC after the Flyers' series last year. This year, that isn't going to be there. These Penguin fans and their behavior have stolen that from us. WHEN the Caps start to regularly defeat the Penguins, I advocate for the Caps and the Cap fans treating the Penguin fans with the same amount of respect we have been given. When the Penguin franchise inevitably slips to where it was the years before Crosby was given to them, let us help them pack for Kansas City.

Ted, I strongly hope you and McPhee advocate for an end to revenue sharing in the NHL and vote against the league aiding teams in bailouts. Without such assistance, the Penguins would have remained in bankruptcy and, most likely, be playing in Hamilton, ON or Kansas City right now.

fanohock1: I didn't lift my leg on any fence. I am the one saying this is the best series I have seen for awhile. I wish there were more fans who could enjoy it, rather than hockey playoff highlights being hidden behind regular season baseball and Favre talk. I love the passion of hockey fans, and have for 20 years. I simply think you need a rivalry like our Philly/Pitt one.

I'd much rather we spend our time talking about the Caps among ourselves..

As for the penalties in OT, the tripping call was a definite penalty, whether in playoffs OT or otherwise. The interference calls on the other end? eh. Maybe in a regular season game, but I don't believe those are calls that will normally be made in the playoffs.

And as for bandwagon fans, we don't have to limit who buys tickets to our arena. I guess you just need more fans, bandwagon or not, huh?

Posted by: penscapsNOTarivalry | May 11, 2009 11:02 AM | Report abuse

you dont have to because there seems to be less demand for seats. for example, one hour before game 3 i would have been able to buy two great seats on ticketmaster. we have enought fans to fill the arena, which is why we can restrict access.

@Sonyask: Some had me convinced that maybe the interference on Gordo should have been overlooked because it is the playoffs, and it was OT. However, I was watching the Hawks game on Saturday and with just over 4 mins left in regulation, and the Hawks up 3-2 (they had just scored a PP goal) Kesler from the Canucks was called on a interference call that would have been borderline in the regular season. So the calls are being made in other games. It may not have been OT, but a 1 goal game with about 4 mins left is as close as you can get to OT. Especially since Gordo's call would have been the 2nd call in OT.

Corruption goes along with crime. Especially organized or "gang-style" crime.

Posted by: penscapsNOTarivalry | May 11, 2009 11:44 AM | Report abuse

boy oh boy, are you showing your ignorance of what goes on in DC. The majority of gang violence in the DC region takes place in the suburbs, particularly in the hispanic suburbs. Additionally, most of the serious crime in DC (and I've got the stats to back this up) can be attributed to the vicious cycle of inner-city poverty and its decmination of any meaningful oppurtunities for a sizable portion of the city's population.

The crack wars ended a long time ago. The drug gang turf wars and the mindless violence that took the lives of innocent kids are, thankfully, very much a thing of the past here.

RedBirdie: I am glad that things have cleaned up, I am. Of course I don't want violence of any type to take hold in any city, especially the US. Keep your stats, I believe you.
I love DC. I was down this weekend to the zoo and will be down again for the Smithsonian. I met numerous Caps fans at the zoo, all pleasant to talk to, but all spoke of the Caps/Pens rivalry. Simply not true. I would not have had a nice chat with any Flyer fans, which makes my point.
And, in case anyone cares, I think the Caps win tonight AND win game 7. They are the better team, and I think they will pull it out.
I think they will represent the East in the Cup and lose to the West (Red Wings).
I am glad to see the number of hockey fans on the rise. I will be at the game tonight and am hoping for another terrific game.

Redbirdie -- Speculation and analysis are not synoymous. I can understand your confusion given that most news organizations (tv, electronic and print) now consider them synonymous, but I assure you they are not.

You are, however, absolutely spot on about the complaining -- the fans of the team on the losing side of the equation is always complaining about the lack of calls or too many calls. That sadly has become a playoff tradition. Caps fans are no different than Pens fans in that regard. Also, any Pens fan that argues that there aren't moron Pens fans has never gone to a Pens game. I go to about 30 home games a year (share season tickets) and all the playoff games and there hasn't been one game in which there wasn't at least 1 or 2 morons within earshot. As insufferable as some of the Caps commenters are on here, there is no fan more irritating or disgusting as a fan who shares your allegiance but who knows very little about the game.

I agree with penscapsNOTrivalry in that the Caps have a way to go until they are on par with the Flyers as a rival for us... though I suspect a few more series like this over the next several years can change that. The fact that arguably the three greatest players in the world are in this series will further fuel a rivalry.

As for this series, unless the Caps commit to playing defense and concentrating on gap control (there is often over half the ice between their forwards and their defensemen), there won't be a Game 7. The Caps may be as talented as the Pens (that's at least debatable), but they are not as disciplined or as defensively-minded. The next time the Caps backcheck will be the first.

hockeytownUSA -- I'm sure that Islanders fans said the same thing to the Oilers fans in the early 80s after the Islanders beat the Oilers. I also know that after being overwhelmed (not by the Wings but by being in the Finals) in the 1st 2 games, that series was played to a draw. I also enjoyed hearing the Red Wings fans chant, "We Want the Cup" near the end of Game 5, only to watch Max Talbot and then Petr Sykora silence them.

I do agree that we both (Red Wings included) need to worry about our current series before worrying about any other series. The Caps are a very talented team, and I wouldn't want to have to go back to Washington to play a Game 7.

@penscapsNOTarivalry: Sorry, I really needed to just take a moment and let you know that I was laughing at you. Really, I think you need to know that people are laughing at you. Snickering. Trying to be polite. I mean, each and every person that has responded to your "observations" has consistently proven you wrong and just outright made you look...no, wait for it...yes, dumb. Say it with me - dumb.

It's not over for our Capitals until the final scores go up and let's be honest, we've seen the Capitals pull off upsets on more than one occasion. We're looking for one again tonight. Let's GOO Caps.

Again, penscapsNOTarivalry..."points and laughs". Not a rivalry. Oh geez. Denial doesn't look good on you, much like the powder blue jerseys your team wears.

@LeftCoastCapsFan: Nice post stupid, I picked the Caps in 7. And it is NOT the rival of the Pens, for every point I made throughout the post. Maybe take a minute and read the thread before posting. Now I will call you out, point at you and say "laugh at the dummy!"

penscapsNOTarivalry,
You're right not all Pens fans but certainly more than a couple ie the DB who wanted to kill OV. That is a class act right there. And if you want to talk rivalry I guess your right in the sense that we want it to be a rivalry and you want it to be a rivalry with Philly which actually has a rivalry with the Rangers from back in the day. One more thing if you want to talk fights 5'9" Bobby Gould (Caps) breaking 6'4 Mario's cheek bone, orbital bone and concussing him after Lemieux passed by bigger guys on the ice and saught Gould out who happened to be the smallest. Talk all you want about fights because you will never top that one!

That's fine Caps73. You are right, Lemieux got smashed. Point is number of fights. This is round two of the playoffs and no fights? Very little "chippiness" and mostly just verbage, this is not a rivalry. I understand that the Flyers upset everyone (Rangers, Pens, Caps...), but the players talk of hatred against the Pens.
The kid and OV just stupid, I agree.

So you go from sounding like a gangmember to a 15 year old from 1992? That's regression.
Posted by: Section117 | May 11, 2009 1:26 PM

Your assumptions just proves what a narrow minded twit you are with your limited white man's view.
In my world, the 'regression' analysis u allude to shows how faulty any of your inferences or causal relationships are.
Dumbing it down for u: ASSuming makes u sound more like an a-hole.
Ergo every1 has 1 & therefore, your ops just equates to u being 1.

It's so funny seeing all the frustrated Caps fans spew all their hatred and venom. "Oh, we hate your team. We hate the way they play, and we hate you Pens fans." I'm sure the Pens and their fans are all broken up over that. How will we ever live without your affection and approval?

You have so much to be proud of with that team and those classy fans. What a shining example to the rest of the league. Please. I can only imagine the howling we'd be hearing if Crosby or Malkin took runs and launched at people the way your precious OV does. I've noticed that he usually does it soon after somebody has the audacity to actually check him cleanly. OV is a great player, he doesn't need to be doing that stuff, which only hurts his team. He also doesn't need to be taking ridiculous dives and grabbing his face like he's been hit with a stick when he wasn't even touched. You know, all the stuff that you guys try to villify Crosby for. Guess it's okay for OV to do it. He's just being a competitor, right?

I always smile (with what few teeth I have left, being a Pennsyltucky hick) when the comments turn to insults about the opposing city. All the big city snobs from Boston, NY, Philly, and DC just can't stand it when the Pens and Steelers beat their precious franchises, which they do on a regular basis. (We won't talk about baseball and that messed up economic system.)

You guys are killing me today. First it was someone confusing Sweden with Switzerland showing complete lack of geographical knowledge and now this. The Germans never bombed Pearl Harbor. It was the Japanese! This is your own freaking history! Do they teach anything in American schools?

Trying to predict the winner of the Olympic hockey tournament is kind of a pointless exercise because there are 6 or even 7 teams that can win the gold, potentially and since it's a one game knockout system anything can happen.

I think the main favorites to win will be Canada and Russia, but Sweden, Finland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and the United States will also have very good teams. In reality any of those can win and these tournaments are almost unpredictable due to the lose one game and you're out system once we get past the group stage. For example, a few years ago the World Championship was held in Russia and the Russians had a team that was absolutely loaded with talent including Pavel Bure. They completely bombed and finished 11th! Talk about cracking under the pressure of playing at home!

Yeah you're right, I spend money on Caps season tickets every year so I can root for their demise in the playoffs.
As you don't seem to be posting in this forum other than playoff time, why don't you go back to counting down the days until Redskins training camp?
Posted by: Section117 | May 11, 2009 1:47 PM |

I could give a rats ass what u do w/ ur dough. There u go again trying to ASSume - that I even care.

I was wrong about all Caps fans being smarter than Sucksburgh fans. There is always an exception & apparently it's you.
A nitwit from the burbs trying too hard to keep up in he 21st century.